The Clark County Council is considering asking voters to approve a levy lid lift to fund 30 new sheriff’s deputies, on the heels of Vancouver voters rejecting a similar city levy this month.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office has repeatedly asked the council to fund the additional deputies, along with 16 nonsworn staffers, to keep up with increased demand from a growing population.
Agency administration said the sheriff’s office is the lowest staffed of its kind in the state, at a rate of 0.57 deputies per 1,000 residents. Washington has the lowest law enforcement staffing ratio in the nation.
“We find ourselves in a very urgent state in needing more deputies,” Undersheriff Jim Hansen said during the council’s Monday meeting. “Sheriff Horch urges the county council to find some assistance.”
For several weeks, councilors have been considering placing a levy lid lift on the Feb. 11 special election ballot.
On Monday, Councilor Karen Bowerman suggested the council ask for a levy lid lift of 28 cents per $1,000 in assessed property value; the owner of a $528,000 house would pay an additional $142 a year. That amount would raise $28.5 million per year.
Bowerman said that amount would cover the $7.3 million needed for the additional deputies and staff, along with $9.6 million for the impacts to the rest of the county-funded criminal justice system,including the courts, jail and prosecuting and public defense offices. The rest of the funding, Bowerman proposed, would go to the county’s structural deficit that, if left unaddressed, could spell future cuts within the justice system.
Council Chair Gary Medvigy supported Bowerman’s proposal. He said the council should put the question of boosting sheriff’s office staffing to the voters.
“Public safety is our No. 1 priority, and we are decades behind,” Medvigy said. “We need to take a stand and … communicate this narrative with (the public), the need with them, and see how they choose in February.”
Councilors Sue Marshall and Glen Yung voted against Bowerman’s plan, saying they felt the levy lid lift did not provide long-term, sustainable funding for the added positions. They said they want to see a more holistic approach in tandem with the city of Vancouver. Councilor Michelle Belkot was absent.
“At this time, we’ve got to convince all of those Vancouver voters that voted no on the levy to provide VPD reinforcement. We have to convince them to vote for more sheriff’s deputies, and that’s going to be a tall order,” Yung said. “I don’t think we can accomplish that without the common goal of the city and the county together.”
Earlier this month, voters rejected Vancouver’s Proposition 4, which would have added 80 new police officers, along with 36 nonsworn police positions, form a traffic enforcement camera program, expand the city’s Homeless Assistance and Resources Team and upgrade equipment.
The county council previously raised concerns about Prop. 4, because it did not provide funding for the rest of the justice system that would be impacted by additional police officers writing tickets and making arrests.
Medvigy said he’s been paying close attention to what voters have been saying online about why they voted against Vancouver’s measure in hopes of better communicating the county’s intentions.
The deadline for submitting measure language to the auditor’s office to be included on the February ballot is Dec. 13. The council is set to consider the ballot measure again, likely Friday.
